Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: The age cohort of 65 years and older is a growing population.It is part of the group referred to as Baby Boomers, the generation born between the years 1946-1964.It will be the largest population to reach late adulthood to date.In the United States alone, the Baby Boomer cohort is expected to reach 70 million by 2030.In response to this growing elderly population much research has been conducted on Baby Boomer quality of life issues.Such research uncovered the phenomenon known as the well-being paradox.The well-being paradox refers to the findings that older adult's life satisfaction remains stable or can even increase with age despite age-related losses.Utilizing the theories of positive psychology and socioemotional selectivity, the Happy Boomer project offers an explanation for the well-being paradox.Using data from The Gross National Happiness Index Survey (Happiness Alliance, 2011), the Happy Boomer project analyzed associations between the dependent variable of life satisfaction and the independent variables of positive affect, negative affect, and feeling of belonging for 1,268 individuals ages 65 years and older.No previous research has been found that compares the predictive powers of these specific independent variables on the dependent variable, life satisfaction.Through an ordinal multiple regression, results showed that positive affect had the strongest association with levels of life satisfaction, followed by negative affect and feeling of belonging.Gender was not Dedication This work is dedicated to my husband, Randall Massey, whose never-ending love, support, and encouragement has sustained me for the 10 years it has taken to complete this degree.Without your unwavering belief in me, I would have never come this far.This is also dedicated to my children, Bijan Massey and Elliette Massey.Your addition to my life gave me a renewed sense of purpose and strength to complete what I started.Thank you for your patience, for making me into a better person, and enriching my life in ways I didn't know possible.
Author: Brooke Christina-Marie Massey
Institution: Antioch University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2534883657